Nerdlocker Movie Review: Non-Stop

Non-Stop was mislabeled for the title of this film. After the Taken franchise, it’s hard for me not to associate Liam Neeson as an action junkie. Don’t get me wrong, this was a better film than Taken 2, but not a movie I would want to re-watch. Well maybe if it was syndicated on the FX Channel.

Let me explain. This film was well planned out. Director Jaume Collet-Serra and writer John C. Richardson had me thinking the whole time about Neeson’s character, “what’s going to happen to air marshall Bill Marks?” Bill boards a flight to London but realizes that things go wrong when an anonymous person texts Bill and threatens to kill passengers on the plane every 20 minutes.

Like I said this movie was mislabeled. Non-Stop was more of a guessing game of potential suspects as Neeson losses control over the situation and is mistaken as the person hijacking the plane instead of saving it. The supporting cast only brings out the paranoia in Neeson’s character. Passenger Jen Summers played by Julianne Moore (The Hunger Game: Mockingjay, Jurassic Park: The Lost World) seem to be the passenger you wouldn’t want to sit next to. Michelle Dockery (Hanna, Downtown Abby) plays the airline stewardess who’s lack of range is tough in this film.

The movie itself was well written, it’s the cast that was the big issue for me. They didn’t sell me on this film. The only person that I did enjoy was Scoot McNairy’s (12 Years a Slave, Killing Them Softly) character. He plays the nerdy person that you wouldn’t get till the film comes to full surface. Other supporting actors like Nate Parker (The Great Debaters, Red Tails) and Cory Stoll (The Bourne Legacy, Salt) were not memorable. Stoll’s character as an off duty NYPD officer was just annoying, and Parker’s was such a quick interaction that it wasn’t a surprise when you find out what his overall role is.Definitely way too predictable.

Non-Stop could have been anything. The non-stop suspense that was played out by half portion of the film? Or the non-stop action for the last act of the film that was the only redemption that I sat through the whole movie? The paranoid undertones of a post 9/11 world are a bit over played. In fact the film stereotyped a lot of people which was a bit overdone. Overall it’s bearable but not memorable. It is what it is, a popcorn suspenseful action film.

Rated PG13 for: Language and Action
Run time: 106 minutes
After Credits Scene: None
Starring: Liam Neeson, Julianne Moore, Michelle Dockery, Scoot McNiary, Cory Stoll, Nate Parker and Omar Metwally.
Directed By: Jaume Collet-Serra

Out of 5 Nerdskulls
Story: 3.5/ Acting: 3/ Directing: 3/ Visuals: 2.5
OVERALL: 3 out of 5 Nerdskulls

Check out the trailer below: